Mary Flynn

The Mediterranean diet. It’s all the rage now. Rich in olive oil, fruits and vegetables and low on meat, it’s said to promote cardiac health and weight loss. But researchers say it also helps stretch the food dollar.

Rhode Island food bank recipients who completed a six-week course in cooking Mediterranean-style decreased their total food spending, purchased healthier food items and improved their food security. That, according to research published in the March issue of the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition.